Our Informer

Legislators in Raleigh have introduced over 3,600 bills since the session began in January.. That’s more than 20 for each representative and senator. The Senate has cut off the flow of bills but more House bills are added to the calendar each day.

Don’t worry. There will not be 3,600 new laws or regulations added to the books. Most of the bills will never see the light of day. The leadership of the General Assembly—House Speaker, Senate President, and rules chairmen—determine which bills will get an airing before committees. So don’t look for laws involving human cloning (Rep. Mark Hilton) or constitutional amendments (i.e. ban on gay marriages) to make headlines.

Hundreds of the bills seek funds for projects. Those bills are assigned to the Appropriations Committees which craft the state budget. Some are flat-out pork barrel projects and some seek to support new programs in education or healthcare.

Rep. Ray Warren, the first Democrat to represent Hickory and Alexander County in more than two decades, has two appropriation bills in committee: one for an annual $600,000 allocation for the Engineering consortium in Hickory and another for $250,000 to expand the research and development laboratory at the Hosiery Technology Center. Both reportedly are moving forward with the support of House Speaker Joe Hackney.

The House Appropriations Committees are expected to present the budget to the full Chamber next week if no hitches occur. Republicans have vowed to oppose the budget if the “temporary” half-penny sales tax is maintained and the higher income tax rate for wealthier citizens is not reduced. Democratic House leaders have supported keeping the taxes in place to fund education and Medicaid.

Republicans argue that keeping them amounts to a “tax increase.” Senate leaders also want to sunset the taxes. So begins the long, hot summer.

ALL TOGETHER NOW, I PLEDGE….Everybody stand and raise your right arm with hand turned up. Now say: “I salute the flag of North Carolina and pledge to the Old North State love, loyalty and faith.”

You have just recited the official pledge to the North Carolina flag which has been around since 1909 and was just made official this week. The House unanimously adopted the pledge which was among the 3,600 bills. Richmond County Rep. Melanie Goodwin led the House in the pledge.

NOTABLES HEADING WEST: Several North Carolina leaders, including House Speaker Joe Hackney, will be heading west on June 21 to attend a funds-raising event for Rep. Ray Warren. House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman also will be among the visitors. The event will be held in Hiddenite and will attract supporters from Hickory and Alexander County.

Former Rep. Mark Hollo of Taylorsville, a close associate of Rep. Mark Hilton of Conover, reportedly is gearing up for an effort to recapture his seat from Warren.

CAREGIVER BILL: The State Senate Judiciary Committee II this week heard a bill introduced by Sen. Austin Allran of Hickory that would enable prosecutors to treat a caregiver’s neglect of a child as a felony. Some senators were skeptical and sent the bill to a subcommittee for further study.

Senators peppered Allran with questions: would allowing a child to go barefoot outdoors qualify as a felony? Another asked if he could be charged if he left his 15-year-old unattended? Allran had difficulty trying to answer questions but said he thought the issues could be resolved in the subcommittee.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt says the tax system needs to be revamped. “It’s not for the faint-hearted,” he added. But with a growing school enrollment, more people needed Medicaid services, and a swelling prison population, where does the money come from?

Property taxpayers carry the burden at the local level. If you live in Catawba County with a 49 cents ad valorem tax rate, that burden is at the low end of the scale, statewide. But if you are a taxpayer in Scotland County, your rate is $1.10, with farmers, small business owners, and middle-income people shouldering the load.

Several bills in the North Carolina General Assembly would give counties options and provide some relief for property taxpayers. Rep. Ray Warren of Alexander County has sponsored bills that would allow a one-cent increase in the sales tax for Alexander and Catawba Counties. In Catawba, a public referendum is required. Sen. Robert Atwater of Chatham has introduced a bill that would give all counties the option of a 1 per cent real estate transfer tax. For a $200,000 home, the transfer tax would be $2,000.

Seven North Carolina counties already have a land transfer tax, Dare and Pasquotank among them. Their county managers report the tax has not curbed population growth. Both have experienced a growth of more than 13 per cent since 2000. Pasquotank reports annual transfer collections of $2 million and Currituck puts $5 to $7 million in the budget each year. Both, of course, are popular tourist destinations.

Getting approval of the sales and land transfer taxes may be a challenge for Catawba County. For decades, the leadership has beat the drums against taxes, with much of the rhetoric aimed at identifying Republicans as fiscal conservatives who oppose “tax-and-spend Democrats.” But is Catawba’s low tax rate really serving the people? Other metropolitan statistical regions are growing much faster, with more economic growth and with higher tax rates. Family income in Catawba has fallen below the state average. The unemployment rate also is above the state average.

A good infrastructure, quality of life, and self-esteem attract people and businesses. It takes money to support growth. And as it has been said, it is better to have growing pains than no growth.

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CATAMOUNTS STALKING BEARS: Hickory is considered a stronghold for Lenoir-Rhyne College. But Western Carolina University has concluded that Hickory also is fertile hunting grounds, especially with its role at the new regional engineering center.

The Western Carolina University Catamount Club has planned a major fund-raising and social weekend in Hickory June 1-2. Features will include a social hour at the Courtyard Hotel, a golf outing at Rock Barn Country Club, and an auction at the convention center. Money will go to the Western Carolina scholarships fund.

Room blocs have been reserved at the Courtyard and Fairfield Hotels.

Mountaineers from ASU will be following the Catamounts event with interest.